Letter
by xmaggalinex
Summary: It's just a normal day for Tory and her three best friends, when the day takes a dark turn. (please be nice, this is my first story.) Rated: T
1. Tory

Tory Brennan:

I was sitting on the beach with my three best friends Hiram, Shelton, and Ben. I lay legs stretched in front of me, tanning my poor pale skin, in shorts and a Bikini top. The sand was hot and the breeze was a nice relief from the sweltering sun. The spray from the tide hit my skin and gave me that cool feeling.

Hiram dove next to me, covering me in sand.

Blech! I spat sand from my mouth. "Hiram! Come on man!" I said getting up and wiping the sand from my face and my arms. Hiram wore his normal cargo shorts and obnoxious Hawaiian shirts. Being a little more heavier set, he didn't care what he wore or looked like.

"Sorry, Tor!" Hi got up and posed for a pounce. He was looking straight into the eyes of the wolf. A gray ball of fur, with a butt stuck up in the air, tail stuck straight up. My wolfdog was starring right back, taking Hi as a challenger. Hi got low and danced back and forth, pretending to size up the wolfdog. Cooper watched him with a trained eye, he was only playing but I could feel the wolf instincts inside pulling inside him. It surprised me a little.

But not for every long.

Ever since three months after I came here to live here in South Carolina.

About a year ago, we were exposed to something dangerous. Something that changed our DNA forever.

My father works on LIRI on Loggerhead island as the senior facility manager. He picked up that title after a man named Karsten "disappeared" and didn't seem to be coming back. He was actually murdered after creating a new disease that was a cross between canine parvovirus and human parvovirus. Karsten injected this new breed of danger in to my wolfdog, Cooper.

We rescued him, and we ended up with the virus. It gave us the new senses. Senses of Canines. Stronger hearing stronger noses, stronger sight, and new strength. We had canine DNA laced into our double helix. With it was a terrible week of blackouts, vomiting and aches and pains like you wouldn't believe. But you have to understand, that's what happened when you're DNA changes. Whatever. For what happened to us, the pain was worth.

We called them "flares". They were when our senses when ballistic. They became hypersensitive. Shelton could hear pins drop in a crowd. At a rock concert. Hi could see like a telephoto lens that zoomed up to 200 miles. Ben had superhuman strength like superman and I had the nose. I could smell peoples' emotions. Weird. I know. But sometimes it was fun.

A blur of grey rushed past me as I sat back down in the sand. Coop skidded with a wave of sand, which layered me in another layer of sand. I spat the sand from my lips and mouth.

"Alright, I'm done with the sand." I said standing up, dusting the sand from my jean shorts and watched Ben out in the tide. He was just standing there, looking at the bottom.

Ben wore just black swim trunks. He recently cut his ear-tucking black hair and was keeping it short, thank god for it because he looked even better then before. Ben was tall and tan due to his Native American ties. He was built and his skin seemed to be stretched across the muscle to emphasizing them even more. Fine I'll admit it. He was attractive. He was sixteen and two years older than me.

I took my jean shorts off, revealing my matching bikini bottoms and I waded out to Ben. I watched him as I fought the tide. He was entranced by the bottom of the ocean. He didn't notice me as I wade out to him. I knew Ben. He was moody sometimes and he was often unpredictable. I slowed and became cautious. "Ben? You okay?" I said stopping. Well stopping the best I could with the strong tide.

"Huh? Yeah. I'm okay. You're going to love this. Look at this!" He said smiling, something rare for Ben. He leaning over and grabbing my hand and pulling me in front of him. My heart skipped a beat.

What the frick?

Ben leaned his head over my shoulder and pointed down into the water. "There's a mini reef here. Look."

I looked down; there was a little set of coral, and a sea anemone. Shells and starfish clung around it. I was amazed. The water was warm but I have never seen coral this close to the shore. I saw why he was in a trance. We watched the little colored fish swim in and out of the coral, like there was nothing better to do.

We just sat and watched the fish and the sea anemone float with the current. And for a long time we stood there and watched.

The current was strong and almost pulled me in, it called to me swim and explore the deep dark depths. Ben grabbed me by the hips to steady me. I didn't really notice until heard Hiram snickering to Shelton. I looked up and made a face. They abruptly stopped. Coop danced the water line watching us. Ben didn't even look up. He seemed to be content just watching the fish.

I slipped in the sand again and Ben caught me around the waist and tensed.

"Uh, thank you" I said awkwardly. My heart skipped another beat. My god, really? What is wrong with me?

"Welcome." He said shortly. I took one more look at the little fish.

Everything from my upper thigh down was cool but every else was sweltering and a thin sheen of sweat covered my skin. My sweat glands were working overtime but also failing. Thank you deodorant

"Alright, that's it." I said sighing. The water was to cool around my thighs that my personal integrity broke. I gave up.

"What? What's wrong?" Ben almost looked worried. I didn't answer. "Tory, what's wrong?" He grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. I was building up the courage. "Victoria! What is wrong?" He sounded panicked. I noticed he wasn't wet; he hadn't gone under the waterline yet. I smiled at him. In that one second he was confused, I took that confusion to shoved him under the water and dove over him.

The water hit my skin like a breath of fresh air. I wanted to lay in the water until I got hypothermia.

Not really but it felt good.

I came up for air and my red hair plastered itself against my shoulders. I smiled to myself as I wiped the seawater from my eyes. I shook the water from my ears and looked around. Where was Ben? Hi and Sheldon were wading out toward me smirking like fools. I looked around, I knew something was up.

All of a sudden I was lifted up in the air and I let out a shrill scream. I was thrust underwater. I struggled against the strong arms holding me by my midsection. Ben. I was pulled out of the water and I gasped for air.

"Oh my God!" I yelled laughing. "Ben! Stop!" he held on, laughing.

"Tory!" a voice called from shore. "You have a letter."

I looked around, my father, Kit was standing on shore. I laughed and pulled Ben off me. "Alright, coming!" I swam in and he handed me a towel and the letter.

"Don't make any plans for dinner, Whitney is coming for dinner." He said.

Blargh. The plastic Barbie was my father's poor excuse for a women.

"Fine." I sighed.

"Be home by six o'clock." Kit said turning.

"Yea." I mummled.

"Oh Tory! Ready for a rematch?" Ben said getting out of the water, smiling.

"Nah, I'm good." I said handing him the towel.

"Coward." Shelton said teasingly. He was wiping the water from his dark skin.

"Are you really calling me that?" I said turning, eyebrow raised.

He looked like he made a mistake. "Yea, I didn't think about that one."

I wiped the water from my hands on the towel I gave Ben and ripped open the letter. There wasn't a return address on the envelope at all anywhere. Whatever. I pulled the paper out and opened it up.

Terror ran through me. My heartbeat picked up and adrenaline rushed through my veins. I screamed.

The letter was written in blood.


	2. Ben Blue

Ben Blue:

"Tory! What's wrong?" I yell as she drops to the ground, I catch her and realize tears are stream down her face. Out of all of the things we have seen and done together, (which was a lot) I've never seen her so terrified, let alone seen her cry. Anger raged through me. _Stay calm Ben, bad things happen when you get mad_. I set her down and try to look her in the eyes but her eyes are glued to the letter. "Tor, answer me. Please, whats wrong" I said trying to get an answer out of her.

"Oh my God." Hi said quietly. He took the letter gently from her hands and showed Shelton. Tory curled in herself and shook. I grabbed her and pulled her close to me out of instinct, I don't know what instinct, but I did. I didn't even think about it, and my heart raced. She shivered.

"Ben. You're really not going to like this." Shelton said nervously. His hand shook as he handed the letter to me. I looked at it and anger and adrenaline raced its way through my body.

**I'm coming for you.**

** Watch out.**

"Oh hell no!" I said through gritted teeth. I'd seen enough blood to know what it looks, feels and smells like. It smelled like copper and its color gave it away. Where would someone get blood this fresh? And on top of that, what kind of psycho would write in his own blood?

"How did this happen? And 'I'm coming for you' what was that mean?" Hi said anxiously.

"I don't know but I don't like it," I said, pulling Tory closer to me. She didn't protest. She was still crying, but silently. She wasn't normally like this, Tory was always the strong one. She was the one who always got us three to commit felonies and sneak around our parents, which sounds like a bad thing, but when we were really doing for the greater good of everyone it wasn't so bad.

"We need to call the cops," Shelton said hand at his earlobe.

"I agree," Hiram agreed "for once."

"No!" Tory said rising her head and wiping the tears off her face. "It's probably just a joke."

"A joke written in blood?" I said flatly. "Victoria, this isn't just some sick joke, this is really serious,"

"It's okay, I'll be fine." Tory said looking at me stubbornly.

"Oh no. There is no chance in heck that that is going to happen." I said. Tory was our leader, even though she was the youngest of all of us she still was the head of us. The alpha of our pack. But this is where I put my foot down. "You don't go anywhere by yourself. End of story. Do you understand me?"

Tory just looks at me stubbornly. She hated being protected and she hated seeming like she was helpless, and she wasn't but I wasn't going to her just slip through my fingers. She means too much to me and means too much to all of us to let anything happen to her. She turns her head to look at the other two hooligans, looking for some sort of back up.

"Sorry Tor. I think Ben is right. Even if it is just a joke, why would it be written in blood? Plus I think your reaction was support enough." Shelton said bending down and putting a hand on her shoulder. My blood pressure spiked and a wave of jealousy went from head to toe. _What the hell? It's just Shelton._

Hiram nodded, backing up his buddy. "Tory, please. It's better safe than sorry."

She was shaking, her skin was cold and her face was red. Anger and hyperthermia was setting its way in. I let my arms fall from around her and I grabbed the towel from off my shoulders and put it around hers. The redness deepens to scarlet. "Fine." She said angrily, tugging at the towel angry but pushing her way back into my arms, my face went hot.

She shivers "I'm cold. Can we go inside? Please?"

"Yea, Tor we can." I said quietly. I said pulling myself up and her with me. I grabbed her jean shorts and held onto them.

Tory stayed quite all the way back to her townhouse that was set aside for those researchers that worked on LIRI, the research facility on Loggerhead Island which is run by the Charleston University. Morris Island was a stretch of land for those that worked at the facility. My father was the boat shuttle that takes those to work. Tory's father, Kit was the director of the research lab. He had taken over Karsten's job after the manic messed with our DNA, but Kit didn't know that, he took over when Karsten 'disappeared' and never came back when really he was murdered. Hi's father was the head of the tech department which had some good perks.

"You two nimrods go change, you're soaking, I'll stay with Tory and when you come back, I'll go change and come back. Then you two with the stricter mothers can go home for dinner." I said falling behind Tory so she can't hear me quite as well. But I could still see her role her eyes.

They nod and run up to Tory and tell her their good-byes. Hiram makes her stop and stands in front of her. He tries to get her to look at him but she just stares at the ground. He pulls her into a hug, and I could sense another, but just one, tear roll down her face. Jealously sped its way through me.

Holy Crap, why did this keep happening to me?

Shelton put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a look like he felt sorry for her. She wasn't helpless, and Shelton knew that but he obviously had no idea what to say to her.

It's Tory. She's of course not helpless. She's got more gut then the rest of us. I mean how many crimes has she committed in the last year and has yet to get caught for them.

Well I hope she doesn't get caught for them.

Then we'd all be caught.

"I know this is a dumb question," I said coming up behind her, I didn't look at her "but, are you alright?"

"I'll be fine." She said quietly. She watches her feet. Her toes were painted purple. They matched her cotillion dress she has worn to some deb thing. Since when did she paint her toes, or let alone paint anything?

"Come on; let's go talk to your dad. Shall you do the talking or shall I?" I said looking at her.

She looked up at me; her emerald green eyes were clear but beautiful. Her hair was fire red was obnoxious but amazing. She was beautiful but she didn't flaunt it, that's what was remarkable about her. She much rather study and do homework, then do makeup and watch hair tutorials on YouTube. She's like her Aunt Tempe. Just as smart and a little more intresting. "I'll do the talking, I'm better at it." She smiled. Is it possible that her teeth were like little pearls?

"Mhmm, I'm sure." I said smiling, following her up her porch and into the house. I stuffed the letter in my waistband and took the towel from Tory and covered the letter by draping it off my shoulders. She laughed at my expression.

"Hey Kit." Tory said reaching for the sweatshirt that lay on the chair. She pulled it over her shoulders and braided her back into a side braid. So much about her not caring about her hair.

"Hello Tory. Hello Ben." He said looking up over the file he was reading

"Hey." I said nodding at him.

"Umm, Kit. Ben and I have a big project to work on and I was wondering if he could stay for dinner and late tonight to get it done?" Tory said sitting next to him and picking up a picture of turtle.

"Sure. As long as he clears it with his father." Kit said without looking up from the file which I realized was actually quite huge.

"Already did." I said, locking my iPhone. A test confirmation from old Blue, saying it was fine.

"Then it's fine with me." He said still not looking up.

"Thanks Kit." Tory said jumping up before he could change his mind. "Come on Ben." She scurried up the stairs.

Jeans in hand, I followed her up the stairs.

Her room was immaculate. Except for the pile of books that lay all over the desk, which was much better than mine. Mine has more than several boat parts laying everywhere.

"Um I'm going to jump in the shower real quick. Do you mind?" She said digging clothes out of the dresser.

"Uh, no. Go ahead. Meanwhile do you mind if I hack your computer?" I asked pointing to the laptop on her desk.

"Be my guest." She said smiling, "But I thought that was Sheldon's job?"

"It is! I want to check for part pricing for _Sewee_." I said. She just rolled her eyes.

"I'll be back in a sec." she said closing the bathroom door. I dove for her computer, I literally tossed iFollow up on the screen and stabbed the two icon of Shelton and Hi's to call them. They answered in seconds.

"Well hello Tory!" Hi's back was turned and fiddling with something on the bed. His dark brown hair was washed and he was thankfully wearing something not as obnoxious as before.

I cleared my throat.

"Oh sorry, Ben." He said. "Where's Tory?" Anxiety crept into his voice.

"In the shower." I said flatly.

"OOOOOOOOOO!" Hiram said, like a five year old. But gladly failing, making my life a little more fun and his life a little more horrible. But still my face went hot and I felt the anger threatening to spill over into a flare.

"First of all, five year old, she showering in the bathroom and I'm in her bedroom. Second of all-,"

"Second of all, you're in love with her." Shelton said snickering

"Third of all, you two are going to wish you were never born when you get here." I said through my teeth but my face was the color of scarlet and within seconds it happened.

**SNAP**

Pain raced through me, pin-pricks hit all of my extremity all in seconds. I was momentarily winded but I felt the strength fill my muscles. I looked at the picture of me at the bottom of the screen. Golden irises burned instead of my normal dark brown.

"Whoa, whoa, Ben, I was only kidding. Chill buddy." Shelton said taking a step back from the camera, like I was going to strangle him through the lens. And I felt like I could at this point.

I heard Tory shut the water off in the bathroom, the clock ticking on her wall and I heard the waves crash against the shore outside. Coop pushed his nose through the bedroom door sensing my change. Everything was crystal clear. I slowed my breathing and clamed myself down. The flare faded and then…

**SNUP **

"Sorry bro." Hi said sitting in front of the camera.

"It's fine, but Tory's out of the shower now so I only have a second. We honestly need to keep tabs on her. I don't care if this note is a joke, it's not funny and it's a threat against her life." I said hushed.

They looked stunned; they looked like they were keeping something childish back. Of course.

"Yea, I agree. But what are we going to do?" Shelton said leaning forward.

"Someone stays with her at all times." I said quietly.

"What about like at night? And besides we can't protect her forever. Ben, I know you care for her, but we can't sleep with her. Her father won't allow it. Hell, Whitney won't either." Hi said looking sad.

"I know but he have to do something." I said leaning forward. They in turn, leaned back. "What if this isn't a joke? Then what?" I said growling through my teeth.

They went silent. They were breaking.

"Fine, Ben but you take tonight. I need a few days to come up with a cover story." Shelton said sighing.

"Ditto." Hi agreed.

"Ditto what?" Tory said behind me.

I spun in her chair. White tank top and dark shorts were now on and she was toweling her hair dry. It was a dark maroon. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. Feel better?" I asked.

"Yeah." She said, throwing her towel back into the bathroom. Coop padded over to her, she knelt, and kissed the top of his head. "So what's the plan? Nice boat parts, by the way" she nodded toward the screen.

Busted.

"The plan is that someone stays with you. Everywhere. All the time." Shelton interjected.

"I'm guessing even at night?" she said falling on the bed. She looked tired. Her face was paler then normal and her emerald eyes were dull and sheerness. She looked sad, almost depressed.

"Awkward, but yes." I said looking at the computer screen.

My phone went off.

Shelton and Hi. Same message. They can't cover tonight. Crap.

"Alright boys. We got to go." I said, shutting the laptop shut.

Two seconds later "Dinner!" Tory groan was so loud, it almost made me laugh.

Dinner went and left, the food was incredible but the atmosphere awkward. After dinner we watched movies, like Transformers and Iron man, we started talking about CGI and green-screening, but the whole time Tory sat with a canine biology and genetics book on her lap and a human genetics book to her right. Ever since the change, Tory had been searching for an explanation to what really happened to us, every waking second she has had extra, she has been digging her head in books.

She eventually fell asleep on my shoulder while trying to read a section on recessive and dominate genes and their effect on the thought process in canines. Must have been really boring for Tory to fall asleep while reading it. I gently pushed her onto her pillow, I pulled the books from her hands and set them on the sidetable. Pulling the covers from under her and laying them ontop of her, and for a second I just watched her. Her face was so calm and relaxed, like nothing in the world was wrong. Like there was world peace and that letter didn't exist.

When you watch someone sleep, you realize what calm truly means, and you actually see the beauty in a face. Tory was one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen since moving here. Now I'm not saying I have a thing for her, because I totally don't but she was the most natural person you could ever meet. She would rather be dirty digging through a grave site than getting a manicire. I sound all mushy and gross. I hate when people sound like this.

I pushed a piece of hair out of her face and I went to the window and checked the lock.

Click. Locked.

I sighed. Relief was gaining, just a little bit. I felt tired and safe enough to fall asleep, she was there. She wasn't going to slip through my fingers. Not tonight. Not ever.

I lay on the floor, pondering sleep. She wasn't going anywhere. The house was locked. Mr. Brennen had told me that. Her bedroom door was locked, and her window was locked. She was safe. There was no way anyone was getting.

When I woke up on the floor, I looked up at the clock which read four o'clock am. The window was open and a cool clean breeze was coming, I looked over at the bed where I had left Tory and nothing was there. All is good.

Wait.

Terror ran through me. I sprung up and Tory was gone.

She had slipped through my fingers.

She was gone.


	3. Shelton Devers

Shelton Devers:

Four a.m.

Really Ben? Can't you let me sleep? Tory was going to be fine. Geez I know that Ben loved her and everything but that guy could be seriously overprotective. Just like with his boat. And I'm not joking.

I picked up my phone and unlocked the screen.

One message from Ben:

Tory's gone.

Those two words were about to change everything in my life. In seconds I was out of bed and grabbing at sweatpants, Hiram's number already dialed and ringing. A gruff voice answered.

"Shelton, I swear to god if this is a prank you're not going to know what hit you." Hiram said quietly.

"No, Hiram. This is serious." I said pushing my way into my parents waking them up. "Hold on Hi. Mom, you got to wake up!"

"Huh?" she said rubbing her eyes. "What's wrong Shelly?"

"Tory's missing." I said panicked.

"WHAT?" I heard coming across the phone line, my eardrum almost popping. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?"

"I was getting there." I said rubbing my ear. "Meet me at the Brennan's."

Mom and Dad got up and I rushed out of the house and literally ran down to Tory's house. My heart was pounding, thoughts going a mile a minute. Where was she? How could we let this happen? Wasn't Ben watching her? How could he let her go without taking every precaution? He did take those precautions, didn't he? He wouldn't have been so stupid, right?

I ran up the stairs into the Brennan's house. I pounded on the door and the door swung open. Mr. Brennan looked scared, he was on the phone. "Mr. Brennan, I'm-" I started.

'It's fine, we'll find her' he mouthed. He ushered me in the door and my Dad took the phone from Kit and continued the conversation with the person on the other line, my lead him to the dining table and sat him down. His face was pail and he looked like he was about to pass out. His eye were sheenless and blank.

"Where's Ben?" I said. He pointed over his shoulder. Ben sat stone still on the stairs that led to Tory's room and Kit's room. Muscles tense, eyes burning with anger and shame. I could see what he was thinking on his face: how could I have just let her go? I couldn't let it happen either. "Ben?" I said cautiously. I've known Ben for like, well since birth, I've been the one who fixes his boat all the time and I know that he could get moody and when he was this mad, flaring was easy for him. He was going to lose control very soon if someone didn't do something. "Ben, take a deep breath." I sat next to him. "We're going to find her. Alive. I promise." I don't know if I was promising it to him or myself. "But first tell me what happened."

"I don't know. After dinner we went upstairs and watched movies until she fell asleep. She fell asleep and I tried to keep myself awake up, but I guess I fell asleep. But I did lock the windows and the bedroom door." He said shame weeving through his voice. "I know I locked the window, I heard the click of the lock! I promise I did," his head fell into his hands.

"Are you one hundred percent certain you did?" Hi's voice said behind us.

Ben twisted, face and jaw tight, "Of course I'm one hundred percent!" he said it almost growling. My stomach did a flip, my fingers reached my ear in nanoseconds.

"Don't take it so personally, Ben. I just need to figure out how these people got in." Hi's eyes were tired, but there was a look on his face that wasn't something I normally saw. Anger. Hi was never angry, he was the one that always was uplifting our spirts and lighting the mood, but angry Hiram was a little terrifying. His friend was gone and Ben was, in his eyes, responsible.

"The cops are on their way." Kit said coming up to us. My parents were walking through the door alone with ben's dad and Hiram's parents and Whitney was clinging to Kit. Whitney was crying, which was surprising considering their relationship is nothing short of rocky.

"I thought you had to wait twenty-four hours until you could report someone missing?" My mother said.

"Not if you're house has been broken into." My dad said pointing at her.

We all sat waiting for the cops in silence. Hiram sat at the bottom of the stairs playing with the yellow friendship bracelet that Tory had made us all when she got bored one day. Ben just sat with his head in his hands and the parents just sat at the dining table in silence. Whitney must have made like seventy-five cups of coffee. Anything to get her mind off Tory's disappearance. When blue and red flashing lights floated in and bounced off the walls the adults ran out the door and met the cop at the bottom of the stoop.

A police cruiser sat outside the house. The lights were flashing and dancing off the townhouses in the dawn light.

The officer was tall and had blonde hair with charcoal eyes. He looked new, we as Virals have dealt with the law department of Charleston and I have never seen him before. He looked overwhelmed by the amount of people standing staring at him through the doorway.

"Hello, we got a call about a break-in." he said pulling out a note pad and pen.

"Yes. We also have something else." Kit said, leading the cop up the steps and shooing Hiram, Ben and I from the doorway.

"I'm officer McNabb. I need to know everything." He said taking the cup of coffee from Whitney.

We explained the break in, how Tory and him were working on a project and she fell asleep. Ben explained that he locked everything. His eyes were clouded and his gaze far off. I tried to get his attention but he eventually said quietly "And I woke up and she was gone."

"Wait, who was gone?" Officer McNabb said confusion nit in the big eyebrows.

Ben was far off, in his own world, he was just rattling off information. "Tory. She's gone." He didn't look at anyone. "She was kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" The officer raised an eyebrow "Are you sure? That's a big accusation."

"Stay here." Ben said waking up from his trance he was in; he stood and headed toward the stairs. I jumped up and was behind him in seconds. H ran up the stairs. He grabbed at Tory's doorknob. I grabbed his arm.

"Ben, what are you doing?" I ask as he turned the doorknob .

"I'm telling them what they need to know to get her back." He said without looking at me. His voice was calm and still scary. I was afraid for his mental state at this point. He went inside the room, called Cooper to his side, who had been sulking in Tory's room on her bed and grabbed the letter. He pushed past me.

"Ben, do you know what you're doing?"

"Yes."

I followed Ben down the stairs and tried to warn Hi with a look but he didn't understand. Ben handed the letter to the officer who opened it. His face said everything. 'This was not in my contract.' "Excuse me for a moment." He said walking out the door.

Two hours later, there was a huge amount of people sweeping the townhouse for anything for that could lead them to Tory. Ben, Hiram and I had been drilled about the letter down to every last detail.

Four hours later they were all gone. Ben had demanded that they keep him in the loop, he argued with dectective and even with the chief of police and they had finally promised that we could be kept in the loop. It was almost Ten o'clock in the morning and we were all talked out. But we sat in the abandoned bunker in the island, not really saying a word. Cooper had attached himself to Ben's hip, who wouldn't let Cooper out of his sight. We just sat at the table. Watching Ben's cell phone. We felt helpless, we had handed over the only evidence or lead that we had. If it was one of us that were missing, Tory would not be sitting around, waiting. But there wasn't really anything we could do that we could think of. We tried to recount the last couple of days trying to think of someone who tory pissed off enough that they would want to kidnap her. But nothing came up.

The phone rang.

Ben jumped, and dove for the phone.


	4. Hiram Stolowistoski

**just a reminder: i DO NOT own Virals**

Hiram Stolowistoski:

Ryan Tellican

The basterd that took Tory. Must have been pretty stupid because he left fingerprints all over the letter. So he's an idiot baster.

The second they said the name, I was on the internet searching. He was connected to a great many things in Massachusetts. Where Tory was from. They lived in the same town and lived down the street from the guy.

This guy has a rap sheet as long as my arm.

Tellican used to be a CEO of a big advisement company in the town, Tory came from. Apparently he lost his job after someone ratted him out because he was illegally taking bribes and giving faulty investment tips on the market next day. That rat was Tory Brennan. Tory save hundreds of people from a big mess and a huge economic scandal. Man, I knew she was good, but…Damn!

Apparently Tory was helping out as a file clerk, just so she had some extra money, and getting paid from the company, she overheard Tellican talking to some sketchy guy about how he knew a shoe company was going to take a major dip and he was encouraging everyone to buy their stocks knowing it would crash. Tory knowing about investment fraud told the cops, when they didn't believe her, she got ahold of the FBI. The next thing Tory new all his phones were bugged and there was a surveillance car outside the company's building.

Did I say Tory was smart?

"So this guy wants to get back at Tory." Ben said peering over my shoulder. "He blames her for the fall of his company,"

"That's his motive." Sheldon said. "Because Tory ratted him out, it looks like his whole company went down. But that was almost a year ago, why would he want to take care of this now?"

"Because he couldn't find her." Ben said. "and he served jail time,"

"Well, that makes sense," I said "but the question is, how do we find this son of a Bitch?"

"I'm not sure, does he have any ties here?" Shelton said. "look at his bio,"

I clicked around and found the Wikipedia page on him and found nothing that even came close to Charleston.

We were out of ideas, we had nothing.

"wait so this ass was rich right? I mean before Tory knocked him on his ass" ben asked.\

"Looks to be so? I mean the dude made like 1,500,00 a year,"

Shelton who had been taking a sip of his coke-cola, did a glorious spit take on Ben's shoulder, which earned him three slaps the back of the head.

"you know, Shelton!" Ben said through gritted teeth. I chucked to my self and ended up with a slap in the back of the head, too. "See if he owns any property around here." Ben ordered.

"Your wish is my command." I muttered, which in turn granted me anouther slap on the back of the head.

I searched the property lines in the public record part of the Charleston website. The property lines were something I've use before. But I typed in telliken's name in the search box at the top. I found one spot in the outskirts of the city that wasn't very big and just about to reach over into the next town over's borders.

Google maps, here I come.

I searched the addresses after I used the street view to check the place out.

It, of course, was an abandoned warehouse.


	5. Tory Brennan 2

Tory Brennen:

I woke up on the hard ground. I sat up and the back of my head throbbed and pounded like someone was taking a slug hammer to it. As I sat up I looked around, one window high above my head. Coming through the window was the bright blue Charleston sky and little fluffly clouds floated by.

How…ironic…

Of course a closer look at the windows made my heart sink. Steel bars covered the window.

Of course. I sighed to myself. How cliché. Whoever had brought me here was not original.

The room was all cement. Floor, walls, ceiling. Beams ran every eight feet. The only thing that wasn't cement was a metal door with a metal cut out. The whole thing was scary.

Where was I?

I looked around again. There was one dark corner. I stood up feeling a small pull to the corner.

There was a shuffle.

My heart raced. I felt it coming. The flare was pulling at me. I let come. Whatever was over there was too scared to think straight, so that provided me a small advantage over whatever it was. I let the flare fill me up and pain shot through me.

**SNAP**

The flare sped through me. Unleashing my senses. My nose was picking up things that I would never have picked up otherwise. A sour smell rushed my nose like a linebacker, the smell of fear.

I walked slowly toward the smell, adrenaline running. As I came closer and closer to the smell, the sound of someone trying to get away became louder, and I smelled tears.

Seeing the silhouette, I knelt down and looked into the face of something small.

The face that belonged to a little curly blonde haired and gray eyed five year old girl.


	6. Ben Blue 2

Ben Blue:

"No, you don't understand! I remember Tory telling about this guy! I mean it was only just a mention if him but he worth looking into him! Just check around and see if this guy has any property and I would check his bank account." I said through my teeth, almost yelling.

"Don't tell me how to do my job, Mr. Blue. But I will check the property, but as far as the bank accounts go, i don't think I'll find anything. After Telliken was arrested for investment fraud, all of his accounts were frozen and when he was released they didn't unfreeze them. And Tory was the reason he lost everything, and that would be his motive." Detective Castle was calm and understanding.

"So, you can't trace this guy?" I said through my teeth. The two idiots grew a pained look on their faces.

"Not necessarily, if he purchased any land around here we would still have it in his file. But I still have to go through some channels," he said.

"Just hurry," I said desperation filling my voice. "please? She means a lot to m- I mean us," I felt my face go hot.

"I will try, Mr. Blue." He hung up after that.

When I pulled the phone from my ear, Hi and Shelton were staring at me. "what?" I stared at them.

"Nothing," Hi said as he turned around heading for the door of the Bunker. He put on a mocking voice, "'she means a lot to m-, I mean, us,'" he laughed.

I pushed him aside as I walked past him, "If you ever tell Tory, I will murder you. Do you understand?" I said angrily without looking at him.

Hiram didn't reply so Shelton did. "He understands," he said meekly.

I ran to Sewee and the two clowns were right on my tail. Cooper did a running jump into the boat and sat next to me at the helm.

The boat glided over the water. We reached my father slip for his boat and Hi was on the phone with a taxi. The taxi pulled up five minutes later. We jumped in as fast as we could and told the cabbie to gun it. Ha gave us a wry smile. As we sped down the road, my phone rang and it was Detective Castle.

"Hello?" I said, hoping for his friendly voice telling me that they already found her, and she was sitting in the police station licking a lollipop, but that wasn't the case.

His voice was gruff and rushed. "157 Bigarde St. Be there in 20." The called dropped.

When we reached the abandoned warehouse we handed the money to the driver and took off. The warehouse was a brick building, ivy clung to the walls and all the windows were covered in newly installed rawer-iron bars.

Anger boiled inside and threatened to spill over but had to control myself.

Kit, my father, Mr. and Mrs. Stolowisostki and Mr. and Mrs. Devers was somehow already standing outside the police tape. Completely ignoring them, I ran straight to Detective Castle. "You need to let me in there," I said urgently. The two clowns were being called to their mothers' sides and didn't have much of an option but to go.

"No! Are you crazy? A civilian?" Castle laughed.

"I gave you this lead. You're going to let me in, or Tory isn't going to trust you!" I snarled. "believe me, tory doesn't trust easily and she need a… familiar face to keep her calm and quiet if we need it," I was beginning to beg, but I had no other option. "Either you're letting me go with your protection or i go in there by myself. Which would you prefer? Two bodies or none?"

By way of answer, he tossed a bulletproof vest and a helmet at me.


	7. Tory Brennan 3

Tory Brennen:

"Who are you?" she asked. Her hair was in her face, her eyes were swimming in tears.

"I'm a friend. A friend who is going to protect you. My name is Tory" I said trying to sound upbeat.

"Your eyes are pretty." She said pointing at my eyes, I had totally forgotten that I was still flared. "My name is Annabeth."

"Thank you. Have you seen the man who took you from your family?" I said, I tried to tread carefully, but it didn't work.

"Well, no." tears streamed down Annabeth's face. "all I know is that he was scary and I didn't like looking at him."

"Hey, it's ok." I said, she reached out and my hand, she pulled herself into me and she cried.

"He's not going to get you, I promise." I smelled fear oozing from her.

Before I could say anything else to her, I hear the slot in the door slowly move aside and a voice drifted through. "you know, if you just left well enough alone, you wouldn't be here,"

"what do you want?" I growled not looking at the door. Annabeth whimpered and I just pulled her closer.

"Revenge, Miss. Brennan, Revenge," he chuckled, and the door over the slot slid shut.

Outside I hear sirens.

Ben, hurry up.


	8. Hiram Stolowistoski 2

Hiram Stolowosiki:

"How did you get him to say yes?" I said looking at the vest Ben had in his hands. "And how come I can't go in?"

"Because she wouldn't be here if it weren't for me so I'm going to fix this." Ben said, strapping the vest to his chest. "Detective Castle? These guys need to go in with me."

He tosses us sets vests and helmets with a roll of the eyes.

We strapped in, and flared up, shoving sunglasses on our faces. Ben had had an issue before but today he didn't seem to have a problem because he was the first to flare.

**SNAP**

Adrenaline kicked in and the flare came fast and easy. I let it go. My senses went viral, heightened. It was incredible. My sight zeroed in on cracks in walls and I see a window with bars on it.

I saw the red hair that I have missed.


	9. Tory Brennan 4

Tory Brennan:

When the slot locked shut, the door unlocked and slowly slid open. Ryan Tellican, my old boss who I ratted out to the FBI. He was tall and with black hair that was graying on the sides. His dull brown eyes were full of anger and hate. I could smell the hate oozing from him.

I stood up and pushed Annabeth behind me, "What do you want?" I said.

"I already told you want I want, Miss Brennan. I want Revenge. You ruined everything, Miss Brennan, everything," he spat. "I was going to be rich,"

"Well, I would've had to ruin anything if you were committing a felony," I said staring at him.

"Do not give me lip if you want to live," he snarled.

"What are you going to do to us?" I felt tears well up in my eyes, but I forced them down for Annabeth's sake. "And why are you kidnapping a little girl?"

"You see, little Annabeth here is the daughter of the officer that arrested me and testified against me," he said as he paced back and forth in front of me.

"So you are taking your anger out on a little girl? See that doesn't seem logical to me," I said. I shouldn't have said anything only because the next thing I know, I heard annabeth screaming and there was a searing pain in my right cheek. The best reason for the pain that I could come up with was that he had slapped me. I raised my hand to my cheek and felt warm blood dripping out of my cheek. When I looked at Tellican's hands I saw a class ring on his finger, stone turned to the inside of his hand, just so it would really hurt when he did cut me.

"I told you not to talk back," he growled.

"Leave her alone!" Annabeth's voice was little but it sounded angry.

When Tellican took a closer step towards us she scurried back behind me. "you see, I thought I would ransom you two, but there wasn't much time. Your teams work quite fast." He smile was evil and hard.

"Who's blood did you use?" I said through my teeth, gritting them in pain.

"Well mine, of course!" he laughed. "I couldn't kill anyone without causing a scene so I just used mine," he said rolling up his sleeve showing me a gash that ran along his arm.

"well that was stupid," I scoffed. "Now the police have evidence that you did kidnap us!" But it I earned another slap on the same side.

I gritted my teeth and asked, "how'd you do it?"

"Kidnap you? I'm glad you asked!" he rubbed his hands together, with a look of pride on his face "you see, I had a little bit of difficulty when your boyfriend locked the window with your dog in there with you but once I got the window open it was actually quite easy. All I had to so was stick a hose connected to a container of knockout gas, through the window, wait five minutes and then I was free to move about the room as I like," he smiled, looking please with himself.

"You're one fucked up son of a bitch," I said through my teeth.

And I was paid with one more slap.

"Now that we have had a chance to talk, I must say good-bye, the police and FBI are here and I must get out, so Tory I will see you soon," he smiled evilly.

And the door slammed shut and locked.

Annabeth reached up to me and I picked her up and she touched my cheek and I cringed. "I'm sorry," she said looking ashamed.

"I'd rather it be me then you getting hurt," I said smiling at her, "But now I have a question for you?"

"What is your question?" she looked curious.

"How loud can you scream?" I asked.

She just smiled at me.


	10. Shelton Devers 2

Shelton Devers:

**SNAP**

Flaring scares me. My ears went crazy. I heard everything, and it made me a little crazy.

The SWAT team lead us up to the door, but not before they gave us the lecture on how we had to stay behind them at all times and we were a liability but we were kinda key to finding Tory and another little girl that had went missing back in Massachusetts.

Ben pulled me aside, "keep those ears open for Tory calling to us," he said pointing at my ears.

"I know, Ben. I already hear her," I said quietly. Ben looked like he was about to rip someone's head off. "Ben, we know she is, she knows we're coming. She'll survive and we'll get her,"

"It's go time," Castle said as I gripped Ben's shoulder and shook him. he looked pained but he pushed past me, Hiram walked up next to me.

"Ben will be fine once he gets his hands on Tory," He said.

"Yeah and that's what I'm afraid of," I sighed. We all knew Ben like Tory but we never knew what Tory was thinking, she was so hard to read, but we had no idea how she felt about Ben.

Castle pushed us toward the door before I could say anything to Hi. We lined up behind the SWAT guys and we followed them into the dark building, staying low. They lead us through a maze of tunnels and past hundreds of rooms but something was wrong. Tory's voice was getting dimmer and dimmer as we kept going.

The S.W.A.T. guys were heading in the wrong direction.

"Uh, Castle? She's this way." I said keeping my eyes down, hidden.

"Are you sure?" he said. His heartbeat was fast.

"Yes, sir."

"Hey, boys. This way," he pointed down the corridor in the opposite direction

They followed my instructions until we met a door the with a metal slot cut out of the middle.


	11. Tory Brennan 5

Tory Brennen:

I screamed and screamed. I screamed for both our lives. They depended on it.

I was still flaring, I pushed through the barrier in my mind trying to reach Ben and I almost had it. I screamed as I pushed. I screamed from frustration, panic and fear. It all was flooding my mind. Ben was flared, I could see him in my mind. _Ben, please hurry!_

What if I don't get out of here? What is this guy going to do to me? To us?

I only saw his eyes, they were fierce blue. Terrifyingly blue. I knew him. And he had become crazy and unstable. He terrified me.

_Ben, can you hear me, there is a little girl here. It's not just me._

Where was he?

My question was answered with a pounding on the door.


	12. Ben Blue 3

Ben:

I heard Tory screaming in my head, it was driving me nuts but not in a good way. From this point, since she was in my head, she could literally see anything she wanted to see that happened to be floating around in my mind. It was really annoying. She screamed in my head, pleading for us to find her. I heard her pounding on the door but it echoed in my head.

"Tory, we're here, just hold on. We'll get you out in a second," I said, as the SWAT guy pulled out some bolt cutters and fiddled with the lock.

"Ben?" Tory squeaked on the other side, her voice broke from either fear or hoarseness.

"Yeah, Tory I'm here," what the hell was taking them so long on just cutting a damn lock, Shelton could have picked it faster than they were going.

I had to try something while they fiddled with the lock. I thought about this one time she had been running and I was just sittling on the beach just thinking about everything that happened over the course of the year. It seemed like she had been running for a while because she actually stopped and sat down next to me. Her long red ponytail looked like fire in the morning sun and her face was red. We just sat and talked for a good part of an hour. That's all I kept thinking about and I tried to fire words back to Tory. _Tory can you hear me?_

_Ben? How are you doing that? I thought I was the only one who could do this?_

_I don't know, Tor. I just pictured you and me talking on the beach. Just you and me, no one else and now we're talking. _

_ Ben, I'm really scared. _

_ I know Tor, you're going to be fine and by this time tomorrow we'll be on Sewee and going out to Loggerhead._

I head metal hit the floor. "Finally," I hissed and Shelton laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey relax," he chided as the SWAT guys gave me a dirty look.

They pulled the door open and Tory stood on the other side, tears rushing down her face and a huge gash on her cheek. A little girl clung to her. She looked lost and actually afraid for once. She looked over everyone and relief filled her eyes when she saw me and the two numb skulls. "Ben," she breathed and ran into me.

Relief filled me and I grabbed her hand as a SWAT guy ushered us back down the hall. We followed him through the maze of hallways, passing another hundred rooms.

When we burst into the sunlight, before I could say anything, Tory was pulled away from me by two police officers. When I tried to follow her, another cop barred my way. "You three need to give her some space,"

"You don't understand-" Hi jumped in.

"No, sir. You do not understand. She needs to be checked out by a doctor before we can let her go," the ass cop said.

"Ben!" I heard my name over the crowed of people that rushed everywhere.

**SNUP. **

Crap, out of all the times for my flare to die, this had to be the moment.

"If you excuse me, I have a friend to attend to," I said after a backward glance to Hi and Shelton, who just nodded. I pushed past the cop and jogged over to her where she sat on the back of an ambulance.

I had no idea what to say to her. I couldn't think of one simple thing to say. "Tory, I-"

Before I could even try to say anything she threw herself into my arms causing me to pick her up and spin her around out of instinct.

"Ben, I don't care what you say and what you think, it was in no way your fault," she said in my ear.

I choose to ignore that because it was really my fault. I put her down gently and turned her around as her father walked up behind her. "Tory," he breathed a sigh of relief. He let her go and looked at her, he wiped a tear from her eye, "Tory, Don't you ever do that again," he said a tear rolling down his face, which made Troy cry harder.

She threw her arms back around him and he rocked her back and forth hushing in her ear, like a father rocking his newborn to sleep. It was the closest that I have ever seen them act together. Normally, it was awkward and them avoiding contact. He pulled her away from his shoulder, "You stay her with Ben while I calm Whitney down," he sat her back down on the back of the ambulance. "Keep a close eye on her," Kit said to me. I nodded at him and sat down next to her.

"Tory, I'm so sorry," I said looking at my hands.

"Ben, Don't start that, Please? I just want to forget it all. But it is not your fault." She said putting a hand on my back. A tingle ran up my spine and danced its way into my brain making my thoughts fuzz.

I just looked at her, trying to collect my thoughts. But all I could think about was her and how much I had missed her beautiful green eyes and her amazing red hair. I had to stop thinking like this. This was nowhere near the time for it. But she made my heart race.

"You're right. Lets find someone to fix up that cut," I said getting up, I offered her an arm and she took it. I lead her around the side of the ambulance, and a tall man stood digging around in the front seat. "Excuse me, Can we have her looked at," I said.

But when the man turned around, Tory screamed bloody murder, I whirled around to see her, "Tory, whats wrong?" I said, she kept backing up and stumbling and I had to keep catching her. With my arms around her waist to keep her upright, terror filled her face and tears rolled down her face.

"Victoria Grace Brennan, What it is wrong?" I said pulling her close to me, but she continued to sob.

She managed a few words, "It's Tellican,"

I pushed her behind me, and I snapped. "Stay back, I growled.

"She needs help," he said mockingly, taking a step forward.

"not from you," I said backing Tory behind the ambulance door.

The detective had heard Tory scream and was now on his way to meet us. I did everything I could to get him to notice the man standing in front of me that was holding a syringe filled with a clear liquid and smiling evilly.

Castle caught on and came straight behind Tellican. "I would put the syringe down sir," he said.

You know that look that criminals get when they get caught on television shows? Well that look was all over Tellican's face at the moment and he dropped the syringe and it hit the ground with a thud.

When he was being escorted away I let my flare drop. When I was sure I could move again, I hurried back to Tory who was sitting with Hiram and Shelton. She jumped up and once again threw herself into my arms and letting out a sob. "He's gone, Tor,"

She just sobbed.


	13. The End

**So this will be the last chapter of the Letter. I just want to say thank you to everyone who read this and for all the love, I didn't think anyone would like this. so I wrote this for class one day and my best friend pushed me to put it up here and I never expected it to get so much love. So thank you to all of you! i had a lot of fun expanding on my class version and hope you guys had fun reading it.**

**I will be posting more stories later, I'm almost done with another one so stay tuned. **

**so Thank you again, I love you all**

**signed,**

**xmaggalinex **

Tory:

You know, looking back on it, it seems like I over reacted… but put yourself in my shoes. For twelve hours I was locked in a concrete room, with a little girl who was scarred out of her wits, and me having to be brave through the whole thing so she would stay calm. When Tellican came to talk to me, it took everything I had to stay calm. It took everything I had to not curl up in a ball and give up hope that we would never be found. it was hard. It took everything in me to not kill Tellican.

So when he showed up at the paramedic, that was it. I lost it. Ben was so confused, so lost but he protected me. So I just cried, all the fear, all the terror, all of it, came out in sobs. And Ben just took it.

I wiped the tears from my face, and Ben looked down from me. "Feel better?" he smiled.

"Maybe," I scoffed.

"Good because you cheek is bleeding again. Here sit down," Ben sat me down, "Hold on," I could barely breathe, I tried to but I couldn't get enough. I felt like I was being suffocated but I knew it was because of my crying.

Hiram and Shelton came back with a donut, "I'm having a mental breakdown and you two are out getting donuts?" I said rasing my eyebrows.

" No, this is for you!" Hi said handing me the donut, "The paramedic said you needed sugar, so I thought of donuts!" he smiled.

"Nice," I said, but taking a bite anyways.

"here she is," Ben said, coming back with a paramedic.

She looked at my cheek and said that I was going to need stiches, then she handed me a oxygen mask. She put an IV in my arm and helped me in the gernee and sent Shelton to get my father. When my father came over, they got in the front and the boys hopped in the back with me.

The next couple hours sped by. A bunch of cops asked me questions and took my statement and I got twenty stiches in my cheek. They had me in for a head CT and x-rays, but soon they gave me a clean bill of health and we were on our way home. Hiram and Shelton left with their parents but Ben offered to take me back while the cops asked Kit some questions and finished up his police report. Surprisingly enough, Kit had agreed saying I needed the extra rest so Ben called a cab and got us to the docks.

I helped ben untie the boat and Ben pushed the boat back from the dock. I sat down in the shotgun sheet and let the fresh air whip through my hair. I hadn't released how stuffy that room had been but know sitting with fresh air whipping around me, I couldn't get enough of the air. I soaked in the sun, taking it for all it's glory.

I watched the little silver fish flick just under the surface of the water as we cruised along. I listened to the hum of the engine and heard its vibrations. But I heard it shut off in a second. We weren't anywhere close to Morris Island, I turned around to see the harbor not too far behind the boat. "Ben, what's wrong?" looked at him, I watched him rub his eyes with his other hand on the throttle. "Ben, what's wrong with the boat?"

"There is nothing wrong with the boat," he sighed and sat down in the seat he never sat in, the pilots seat.

"Then what's wrong?" I asked, trying for an answer.

"Tory when you were," he paused looking for a word, "Gone, all I could think about," he stopped.

"What?" I turned to him, I put a hand on his knees trying to see into his eyes.

"All I could think about was," he trying to force out whatever he was trying to say. "all I could think about was you,"

"Oh Ben-" I started.

"No Tor, I mean it gave me time to think about things," He insisted. He stared at his hands and wouldn't look at me.

Oh.

"Tory, over the past year things, things between you and I have been weird. Things have been so strange for me. I would wake up in the middle of the night, and the first thing in my mind is you. You were always the first think I would think about in the morning and you were the last thing I thought about at night. You drive me nuts, and in more ways than one," he struggled the whole time he was talking but he finally stopped, still not looking at me.

"Ben," I said

"Tory," he kept his eyes from mine. "Everything about you, it, it drives me nuts," he lifted his eyes to mine. He lifted his hand to my face, I reached for his hand.

"Ben, I-" I started.

"Tory, Please. Don't tell me-" I covered his mouth with my hand.

"Will you let me talk?" I smiled. I knew what he was talking about. For months now, I had been seeing Ben in a different light, he seemed more mature then when I first met him. he just seemed to be my kryptonite, I listened to every word he said, I felt like I would follow him into a void. On instinct, I did something I didn't think about.

I kissed him.

His lips were soft and shocked, but in seconds it was lost. He pulled back and looked at me. "What was that?" he asked.

"I don't know," I breathed, the feeling of his lips on mine made me crave more.

"Good," and he crushed his lips to mine, he grabbed my hips and pulled me into his lap so I straddled him. every moment we sat like this I felt myself melting to him. we were one. And I craved more, but he pulled away. "as fun as this is," he smiled with a wink, "We really should get back, you need the rest," he smiled.

But I wasn't done, I wanted to see how far I could push him, I wanted to see how far this teasing thing would go. "Ben, can you show me how to drive the boat?"

"for you," he said stealing another kiss, "anything,"

The End.


End file.
